Courageously Moving Forward

By Sabrina Bovay, member of Board of Directors and previous Board Chair

As 2018 wraps up, I wanted to share a reflection on my time with Mirror Image Arts. I’ve been a part of this non-profit organization for four years. I started as a volunteer to help a friend. In short time, I realized how amazing an organization it is, and I decided I wanted to be even more a part of its mission and success. Three years ago I became a member of the board, and served a term as board chair.

First, I want to comment on our fearless leader, Andrea. She is not actually fearless; rather she is courageous, one who steps out in the face of fear to serve those who are unable to advocate for themselves. It is this mix of courage and vulnerability which makes her an amazing leader, and gives our organization the culture and space to thrive in the communities we engage. By being curious and asking questions that dig deeper…by truly listening to others and being empathetic, Andrea has led by example. She has been at the helm of expanding Mirror Image Arts in ways that we could only have imagined four years ago. The staff that supports her vision for our organization is just as amazing — they believe in our mission and more importantly model it to the young people we serve.

At our board retreat this past weekend, our team talked about some HEAVY topics. Topics like “What does diversity mean to us as an organization, and to the organizations that can potentially fund us?” Through this conversation we explored our own differences. We discovered that in honoring and communicating our differences we become more deeply connected. We talked about the school-to-prison pipeline — the way we see it, how it makes us feel, how our work is impacted by it. We, the Board of Directors, were in a space where we felt safe to share our ideas freely, knowing they would be met with respect and open minds and hearts. Attempting to change the world based on a platform of these topics is a daunting challenge. For now, we are focusing our efforts and impact on the Denver area, but eventually we seek to impact all of Colorado. We intend to have dialogue with our government, our school districts, our partners and our corporations. We will take on the challenge of being role models to our youth so they can see there are people standing up with them and for them.

Our organization is more than just an “anti-bullying program”. Rather, we are a courageous organization with the intention and ability to of impact the social-emotional well being of all young people. To do this we know we must seek ways to engage in our world, a political world, a changing world, and a beautiful world.

I hope you continue to join me in supporting the efforts and endeavors of Mirror Image Arts in 2019 and beyond.